Locomotive-tank water gauge



Feb. .19, 1,929-,`

w. A. McamYR L QCOMOTIVE TANK WATER GAUGE Friied nay 1v. 1927i Patented Feb. 19, 1929.

UhllTED STATES rarest orales..

"WESLEY A. MCBBA'YER, 0F CINOINNIATL-OEIO, ASSIGNOR 0F T0 WILLAM'. E. CAREL, OIE CINCINNATI, OHIO.

LOCGMOTIVE-TANK WATER GAUGE.

Application led May 17,

This invention relates to water gauges for locomotive tanks.

Urdinarily, it is necessary in order for an engine crew to get knowledge ci the water level in tanks to climb over the back of the tender to the manhole and to soundV the tank with sticks or some otherV like means. This has been the cause of many accidents, the trainmen having been throw-'n from the tank and injured because of the swaying of the tank or slipping hecause of coal or ice lying on top oit the tank.

The general object of the present invention is to provide the locomotive tank or' the tender with a water gauge which is readily observable from the engine cab and which will not only eliminate the necessity oi the i'ireman climbing over the tank but will prevent waste of the water by spilling and running over when the tank is being iilled, thus doing away with water overflow around water spouts which causes mudholes in summer and the formation of ice in winter.

li/ly invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is a top plan view of a tender provided with my water tank gauge;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the tender with the water tank gauge;

`ligure 3 is a vertical sectional view through the front wall of the water tank and the gauge;

Figure l is a vertical sectional view through the valve but showing it shifted to drainage position; l

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the valve.

Referring to this drawing, l0 designates the tender of the engine provided with the tank 11. This 'tank encloses the coal chute 12 and the. tank is provided with a manhole 13. Extending downward and into the tank is the inlet pipe 14 which is slotted from one end nearly to the other, the slot terminating short of the upper and lower ends, as at 15, so as to permit inlet of water to this pipe at all levels of water in the tank.v

The lower end of this inlet pipe 15, is connected by an elbow 16 to a longitudinally extending pipe 17 disposed adjacent the bottom of the tank and eXtendng longitudinally therealong and opening through the front end of the tank, preferably on the left hand side thereof. This pipe is connected to an elbow 18 which is formed to.

provide a valve casing 19. This elbow is 1927. Serial' No. 192,118.

connected to a sight glass formed with a plurality of sections 2() separated by intervening socketmembers 21 and gaskets.

The water glasses are supported within a column 22 which is longitudinally slotted at 23 to permit the level of water to he seen..

This column extends over the top of the water glasses and is provided with a head 24 through which a screw 25 passes which holds the water glasses in position. lt will be understood that a water glass composed of one piece might be used in place of the water glass composed of sections.

Disposed within the valve easing 19 is a vertically reciprocatable valve 26 having a transversely extending port 2T and a longitudinally extending port 28 opening at its upper end toward the water glass or gauge glass. The valve body 26 is raised or low ered by means of a lever 29 pivoted upon the front end of the Atank and connected by a connecting rod 3() to the head or' the valve body 26. When thisrlever is raised, the valve body will be lifted so that the port 28 will communicate with the interior of the gauge glass and will drain the gauge glass, they valve closing ofi' the passage of water from the longitudinal pipe 17. When the handle 29 is depressed, theI valve body will lower andthe port 27 will open communication between the pipe 17 and the gauge glass. The combined elbow and valve casings 18 and 19 is made water-tight to the tank by Y means of a nut and rubber gasket in an obvious manner.

It will be seen that this construction permits the engine crew to readily observe the level of water in the tank without the necessity of climbing over the tender and sounding the water in the tank. It saves time and labor as, for instance, if' the injectors fail to work because of insuicient water in the p tank, the engineer knowing this tobe the case can take water at the nearest spout. When taking water, this tank gauge will obviate spilling and wasting of the water and, as before remarked, will prevent the formation of mudholes or sheets of ice at places where the engine is filled. These often lead to accidents. v

The purpose of providing the long inlet pipe 14 is to overcome the el'ect of splashing in' the tank, which would otherwise affect the water gauge glass. This columnA of pipe 14 is to be provided with a screen 1. The combination with the tender of a'` locomotive having a water tank, of means for indicating the level of water in the tank including a vertical inlet pipe disposed within the funk and extending yapproximately from top tov bottom thereof and formed with a longitudinally extending wafer inlet slot, a pipe extending horizoni tally from the lower end of the inlet pipe to the forward end of the tender, and a gauge glass-operatively supported upon the forward end of the tender and connected to said pipe.

2. yTheI combination with a -locomotive tender having a tank, of means for indicating the level in the tank including a vertically disposed, longitudinally slotted inlet pipe within to admit water to the pipc at all heights of water in the tank, a pipe extending horizontally therefrom to the forward end oit'y the tender and through the forward wall of the tank, a valve casing into which said pipe the tank, said slot acting opens, a gauge glass casing enclosing a'gaugea glass communicating withv the interior of said valve casing, and a valve in the casing shiftable manually to open .communication between the longitudinal pipe and the gauge glass or to close communication therewith and drain the water from the gauge glass.

3. The combination with a vertical gauge glass, an inlet pipe leading into the bottom of the gauge glass and having a vertically extending bore, a cylindrical, vertically movableA valve fitting said bore, and means for manually shifting the valve, the valve having a straight, diametrically extending bore adapted, when the valve is in one position, to admit liquid into the gauge glass, the. valve below said bore being provided with an angular'bore extending horizontally inward from the side of the valve nearest the gauge glass and then extending downward to' the bottom of the valve and affording means whereby the contents of the gauge glass may be discharged when the valve is raised,

In testimony whereof Il hereunto affix my signature.

WESLEY A. MCBRAYER. 

